Summer awoke and opened her eyes, sunlight streaming through a window onto the pillow beside her.

Where the hell am I?

It took a moment to come back. Her father. Walsh. Luke.

Images exploded in her mind. Luke on top of her. Luke inside her. Their frenzied movements and his quiet breath in her ear as he rested his head against hers.

So fucking good.

She thought back to the first time she’d seen him and the intimate look he’d given her, how it had curled in her stomach, unnerving. Was it possible it was only days ago since so much had changed?

Her father was in the hospital. She had to check on him, but she told herself not to ruin this morning by rushing off to do so. He was well taken care of, and her first priority was right here in this bed.

Would Luke be awkward after their night together, or would he feel as comfortable with her as she now felt? She’d never taken a lover so easily, wasn’t sure of the etiquette the morning after such incredible sex.

More sex ought to do it.

She grinned devilishly and rolled over, her face falling when she saw she was alone. “Luke?”

No answer.

She padded to the bathroom, her thighs and hips tender from last night, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found. Her eyes scanned the tables and desk. His keys were gone. His wallet.

Everything.

She looked for a note, but there wasn’t one. By this point she was convinced he must have run out for coffee or breakfast and would be back any moment. So she showered and dressed, smiling to herself when she noted the small red marks on her breasts, feeling loved. She took care with her outfit, wanting to look nice for him.

There was a knock at her door and she opened it with a wide smile. “I was starting to think you…” Her voice trailed off as she saw Razorback standing in the doorway. “Oh, I thought you were Luke.”

“He’s gone.”

“Yes, he must have gone to get breakfast—”

“No, he was back at headquarters this morning. Took the rest of the week off.”

“What?”

“He probably didn’t want to wake you. He got some shut-eye and headed home. Been a long week for all of us.”

She worked to keep a crestfallen expression from overtaking her features. She would feel this pain later when she could take it out in the darkness, examine it by herself. “Yes. A long week.”

“I’m here to escort you home, Miss Daniels, now that this nightmare is finally over.”

He left you here. He walked out without even saying good-bye.

It didn’t make sense, was completely out of line with what she would have expected from Luke, and she teetered between hurt and confusion. There must be a reason. Or was there? Had he really just walked away? She pushed the thoughts away. “I need to go see my father.”

“Sure thing. We can swing by the hospital.”

She rode in the passenger seat, discouraging conversation by facing the window and watching the rain fall over Manhattan, thinking about safety. She was out of danger now. Her father had survived his ordeal and was surely on the mend. They’d gotten the brancium back and could begin manufacturing Alloy 531 just as soon as they rebuilt, about ten months from now.

But safety wasn’t everything, and she found she was heartsick over Luke. It hadn’t been a one-night stand. She couldn’t have misread him so completely. They’d shared something incredible that transcended the physical, their experiences and everything they’d gone through bonding them for life.

For life?

Really, Summer?

Her own thoughts were ludicrous, pointing out her naiveté. It had only been a few days, after all. And just because she’d only had a handful of sexual partners in her life didn’t mean Luke was nearly so chaste.

Yes, it was possible he thought last night was just sex, nothing more.

Her throat closed up, tears collecting in her eyes, and she blinked quickly to keep them at bay. She’d been shown something incredible only to have it taken away, and in that moment she desperately wished she hadn’t met Luke Arroyo at all.

A tear raced down her cheek and she swiped at it. If he hadn’t come into her life, she never would have known what really happened to Edward, and she was grateful she knew the truth. It gave her a small bit of peace to spread over her pain, the relief of forgiveness some solace for her soul.

It wouldn’t bring her brother back, and it certainly wouldn’t keep Luke in her life, but it was vital to her ability to move forward. Yes, no matter what came next, she knew she’d lift her heels a little higher and raise her hopes for the future, the information she had learned freeing her a precious bit from her past.

None of that would have happened without Luke.

I want to keep him for myself.

Please.

But he didn’t want that, she could see it clearly now. He hadn’t said good-bye or left her a note because he hadn’t wanted a string to connect them as he exited stage right. He wanted her to go on without him, didn’t want to be a part of her future, had chosen to settle for his place in her past. And it hurt.

Oh, God, how it hurt.

They walked into the hospital in silence, Razorback a half step behind her. She wondered if he’d talked to Luke but decided it didn’t matter if he had. The corridors were white, the fluorescent lights casting an unpleasant glow that was reflected on the gleaming floors.

She rounded the corner into her father’s hospital room, the bed freshly made and empty. She furrowed her brow.

“You’re sure this is the right room?” asked Razorback.

She checked the number. “Three-thirty-three. I’m positive.” A nurse was walking by and Summer flagged her down. “Excuse me, where is Jerome Daniels? He was in this room.”

“He left last night. His brother checked him out.”

“He doesn’t have a brother.” She shot a panicked look at Razorback, who pressed the button on his cell phone.

“Should I get security?” the nurse asked.

“Yes. And call the police. Did you see the man he left with? Or get a name? Anything?”

“I talked to him. He was a nice old man. His name was…” She furrowed her brow. “I don’t remember. They were talking about old times, when they were young. How they worked together at Boeing.”

“Holy shit,” she whispered, her eyes going wide.

“What is it?” demanded Razorback.

Her eyes shot to his, then back to the nurse. “It’s not possible.”

He put his hands on his hips. “Damn it, what?”

“It’s Walsh.”

“Walsh is in custody, and he’s not getting bail this time.”

“Not Steven Walsh! His father, John. He’s a paranoid schizophrenic who’s convinced my father stole his ideas. He’s the one we’re after.”